It was the wedding of the daughter of a Nepalese politician that first angered Aditya. The 23-year-old activist was scrolling through his social media feed in May, when he read about how the high-profile marriage ceremony sparked huge traffic jams in the city of Bhaktapur. What riled him most were claims that a major road was blocked for hours for VIP guests, who reportedly included the Nepalese prime minister. Though the claims were never verified and the politician later denied that his family had misused state resources, Aditya's mind was made up. It was, he decided, really unacceptable. Over the next few months he noticed more posts on social media by politicians and their children - pictures showing exotic holidays, mansions, supercars and designer handbags. One photograph of Saugat Thapa, a provincial minister's son, went viral. It showed an enormous pile of gift boxes from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier and Christian Louboutin, decorated with fairy lights and Christmas baubles and topped with a Santa hat.
On 8 September, angered by what he had seen and read online, Aditya and his friends joined thousands of young protesters on the streets of the capital Kathmandu. As the anti-corruption protests gathered pace, there were clashes between demonstrators and police, leaving some protesters dead. The following day, crowds stormed parliament and burned down government offices. The prime minister KP Sharma Oli resigned. In total, some 70 people were killed.
This trend of activism has swept across Asia in recent months. Demonstrations erupted in Indonesia and the Philippines, with young people driven by a shared frustration over endemic corruption within their governments. Many young Asians are increasingly vocal against the privileges enjoyed by the children of political elites, commonly referred to as 'nepo kids'.
As protests escalate, governments across the region have responded with a mixture of condemnation and calls for peace, while also acknowledging some protesters' demands. However, questions remain about whether these movements will lead to lasting change or simply more cycles of unrest.
On 8 September, angered by what he had seen and read online, Aditya and his friends joined thousands of young protesters on the streets of the capital Kathmandu. As the anti-corruption protests gathered pace, there were clashes between demonstrators and police, leaving some protesters dead. The following day, crowds stormed parliament and burned down government offices. The prime minister KP Sharma Oli resigned. In total, some 70 people were killed.
This trend of activism has swept across Asia in recent months. Demonstrations erupted in Indonesia and the Philippines, with young people driven by a shared frustration over endemic corruption within their governments. Many young Asians are increasingly vocal against the privileges enjoyed by the children of political elites, commonly referred to as 'nepo kids'.
As protests escalate, governments across the region have responded with a mixture of condemnation and calls for peace, while also acknowledging some protesters' demands. However, questions remain about whether these movements will lead to lasting change or simply more cycles of unrest.
